Mental Health Challenges More Common Among Surrogates, New Research Reveals

A recent study conducted by ICES, McGill University, and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center indicates that gestational carriers, commonly known as surrogates, are at a heightened risk of being diagnosed with mental health issues during and following their pregnancies. This research, which utilizes extensive health data from Ontario, marks the first significant investigation into the mental health challenges encountered by surrogates as the prevalence of surrogacy increases.

Despite existing guidelines that call for mental health screenings, the study discovered that nearly 20% of gestational carriers had a history of mental illness prior to pregnancy. Some of these individuals had severe conditions that potentially disqualified them from serving as surrogates. The lead researcher emphasized the necessity for thorough screening and counseling for prospective gestational carriers regarding the risks of new mental health issues or the worsening of existing conditions during and after pregnancy.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, evaluated data from 767,406 births in Ontario between 2012 and 2021, focusing on women who were not known to have mental health issues before becoming pregnant. The analysis included comparison groups of 97.6% of births from unassisted conception, 2.3% conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF), and 0.1% involving gestational carriers.

Findings revealed that surrogates were more likely to have previously given birth, live in lower-income neighborhoods, and exhibit higher rates of obesity and chronic hypertension compared to their counterparts. The incidence of newly diagnosed mental illness was 5.2 per 100 person-years among non-gestational carriers who conceived without assistance, 5.0 among those who conceived via IVF, and 6.9 among gestational carriers.

Notably, the rates of severe mental health issues that required emergency care or hospitalization were significantly higher for gestational carriers compared to those diagnosed in outpatient settings. The study highlights a concerning trend where less than half of individuals seeking emergency mental health care after childbirth receive appropriate follow-up support, leaving many, particularly gestational carriers, vulnerable during a critical period.

The authors of the study are hopeful that their findings will influence future guidelines to ensure that gestational carriers receive the necessary mental health support both during and after their pregnancies.

For further details, refer to the study titled New-Onset Mental Illness Among Gestational Carriers, published in JAMA Network Open.